


The Wolf and the Cat

by Evenings_Dawn



Series: Azirina's adventures [1]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Branding, Daedra Worship (Elder Scrolls), F/M, Mass Death, Mild Sexual Content, Possessive Behavior, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:22:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26988172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evenings_Dawn/pseuds/Evenings_Dawn
Summary: When their paths first crossed, neither Azirina Kharabbi nor Farkas could have imagined how intertwined their fates were. Join them on their journey from strangers to lovers and the twists that they encounter.
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Farkas
Series: Azirina's adventures [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970296
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	1. First encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Azirina Kharabbi is my in-game character from Skyrim. Except she now appears to have taken on a life of her own. Do please enjoy

For Farkas, there wasn't much more he desired in the world then the chance to fight with his shield brothers and sisters. Or, at least, that was how it had been for years. Ever since he and his twin brother Vilkas were saved by Jergen from necromancers as children, the companions were all they had known. 

They were his family, and he would give everything to protect his family. He knew he wasn't the smartest of them. That title probably went to Vilkas. But he prided himself on his strength, knowing that a swift fist to the face would silence anyone who insulted him or his shield-siblings. And the chance to prove that strength was always appreciated. So when Aela approached him, asking him to help her and Ria defend Pelagia farm from a giant attack, he seized the opportunity, grabbing his blade and armour and nigh on charging out of the doors of the mead hall. 

Giant attacks were not uncommon at the farms. But they seemed to be becoming more frequent recently. The great beast roared as Aela fired an arrow at its face. It turned, raising its club to bring it down on the huntress who harmed it. Farkas moved forward, swinging his great sword and slicing into the stomach of the giant. It roared in agony, rounding on him and chasing him as he backed up. But this was what he wanted. He wanted to distract the beast. It raised its club again, preparing to swing it down when an arrow suddenly embedded itself in its eye. Roaring in pain, the giant swung blindly. 

He turned to Aela, about to thank her when he saw she had changed her bow for her blade. Two more arrows embedded themselves into the giant when a shape moved past him. Farkas stared in shock as a Khajiit ran forward, swinging a great sword that appeared far too big for them at the beast. They sliced into its knee, bringing the beast down as they staggered back. They heaved the blade up, running forward and plunging it into the giant's uninjured eye. With a gasping groan, the beast hunched over, finally succumbing to its injuries. The club dropped from its hand, sending clouds of dust up. 

As the dust settled, Farkas finally got a good look at their unexpected ally. They were smaller than he expected, reminding him of a kitten he had seen wandering around Whiterun. They looked over the giant, head cocked to one side, as Aela approached them. 

"You handle yourself well. You could make for a decent shield sibling." She commented. The Khajiit looked at her briefly before speaking. 

"What is a shield sibling?" A female voice passed from beneath the oversized armour and helmet. As Aela began to explain about the companions, Farkas looked over the strange Khajiit more closely. 

She smelled like smoke, blood, death and fire with some parts of her dark grey fur looking slightly singed. He tilted his head as she turned to face Aela fully, the imperial leather armour she wore hanging off her frame. A large gash which lay across the stomach of the armour was soaked with dried blood, showing that whomever had worn the armour before her had not benefited from it.Her tail swayed beneath it, pulling it from her shoulders slightly. He was pulled from his staring as she turned, the large lynx like ears twitching. But their movement caused the helmet upon her head to slip down over her icy blue eyes. 

"That armour…..it wasn't made for you was it?" He asked her. 

"Is it that easy to tell?" She asked as she pushed the helmet up, before deciding to cut her losses and remove it entirely. She stuffed it into a pack on her back, the tilt of her body letting her multitude of earrings glint in the sunlight. She turned back to him, pulling the armour back up onto her shoulders.

"Tell this one, where do you stand on the war?" She asked suddenly. 

"Too confusing for me. Empires, Nords, Talos. Just tell me who needs bludgeoning." He replied with a shrug. She tilted her head, her blue eyes flicking over him. Given their close proximity, he could see he stood a good head over her, making him think of how he towered over the children of Whiterun. 

"That is interesting. How does this one join the companions?" She asked him suddenly. 

"Kodlak is the one who figures out who can be a companion. So talk to him. It's out of my hands." He explained. The two of them turned towards Whiterun. 

"This one would need to go to Jorrvaaskr, yes? Hmm, it is certainly something to consider once my other duties have been completed." She murmured, more to herself. She nodded her thanks before starting to walk towards Whiterun. As she moved she swung the large sword onto her back, nearly toppling over in the process. This proved what he had thought was correct, that the blade was even bigger than she was as the point tapped against the road with each step. It was at this point he spotted her bandaged feet, blood seeping into the material. He frowned before noticing the armour slipped from her shoulders again. He opened his mouth to tell her when he spotted it. 

On her left shoulder, a mark was just visible in a patchy section of her fur. It was dark, seeming to scream evil at him. He couldn't clearly see it, but it was definitely some kind of face, an evil looking thing with horns and fangs. It made him pause, appearing to be burned into her very skin. He opened his mouth to ask her, but she was gone, walking up the road to the walled city.

"I will never get used to how Khajiit talk." Aela murmured, shaking her head.

"I've never seen one that small pass through here before." Ria noted. Farkas grunted affirmatively. But, the closest any of them had gotten to a Khajiit before was with the caravans that occasionally camped outside the walls. Ria shook her head, starting to head back into the city whilst Aela waited behind briefly. 

"I take it you could smell it? The smoke on her body. And that armour and blade. They were far too big for her. So where did she get them?" Aela commented. 

"The armour came off a corpse. The cut to the gut proves that. I imagine she got the blade the same way." Farkas replied. 

"If that's the case, where did the corpse come from? She can't have just come across one on the road. Besides, I've never seen a Khajiit walk the roads alone before." Aela continued. Farkas merely shrugged. 

"Looks like she has been walking for a while, if the state of her feet are anything to go by. And if that's the case, she wouldn't be able to fight off a bandit, let alone a member of the Imperial army." He explained. Aela rolled her eyes. 

"You are too soft." She murmured before starting to walk back into Whiterun. Farkas paused, looking over the dead giant. One thing was for certain, if that Khajiit did join the companions, she would be a wonderful shield-sister.


	2. New Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azirina arrives at Jorrvaaskr. Things are about to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The armour, shield and blade Azirina uses from this chapter onward are the Champions tunic, Master sword and hylian shield you can get in the Nintendo Switch version of Skyrim. Something to make her a little different.

It had been seven days since they had seen the Khajiit. Farkas watched as Torvar and Athis sparred with each other, with Skjor shouting advice at them every so often. He sighed, taking a swig from his mug, listening as Ria and Njada spoke about rumours they had overheard. 

"I heard that they're an Altmer." Ria said before biting into a sweet roll. 

"Well, I heard that the Dragonborn is an Argonian." Njada countered. 

"Can you believe this?" Aela asked, the chair she sat in scraping across the stone ground as she pulled it close to the table. "The entire hold is full of such rumours." 

"Well, we all heard the voice from the sky." Farkas pointed out. 

"But for the Dragonborn to appear would suggest the end times are approaching." Aela sighed. "It is not a good omen for us." She added as she leant back, watching as Athis held his sparring blade against Torvar's throat. Farkas didn't reply, his thoughts still filled with the small Khajiit he had encountered. He was so preoccupied, he nearly missed the familiar scent of smoke and fire pass by him. He spun just in time to see a tail disappearing behind the door as it creaked shut. 

"Was that a Khajiit?" Njada asked as Farkas stood. He stepped closer, his inner wolf picking out a faint voice. 

"Excuse me, where should this one go to join the companions?" A female voice asked. Hearing the scoff, Farkas figured they were talking to Vignar. 

"The companions used to be something. But now they just squabble among themselves. Take my advice and keep away. You look too smart to get caught up with this bunch." Vignar said. "But, if you're insistent upon joining, go down those stairs and see Kodlak. He'll decide if you can join." 

"Thank you." The feminine voice said before disappearing with the soft pad of feet on the stone floor. Farkas stared at the closed door, wondering how the Khajiit managed to sneak past him. 

"I think we now know why that Khajiit smelled like smoke." Aela suddenly spoke, grabbing his attention. He turned to face his shield sister as she stood up. 

"Why is that?" He asked. 

"If dragons have come back, then perhaps she encountered one. How she escaped it alive though is the question." She replied before heading over to the archery targets to practice with her bow. Farkas frowned at her back as he moved back to his seat, pausing only when he heard the door creak open again. He turned, managing to keep his surprise in check, as the strange Khajiit they had met a week ago walked by him, following Vilkas. 

"The old man said to have a look at you, so let's do this. Just have a few swings at me so I can see your form." Vilkas said as he drew his sword and shield. The Khajiit looked him over, obviously unsure about what she had been asked to do. 

"Don't worry, I can take it." Vilkas added, though his tone suggested he was not expecting much. Farkas watched silently, glancing sideways as Athis, Ria, Njada and Torvar all placed bets on how long it would take Vilkas to knock the small Khajiit down. His gaze returned to the odd feline as she withdrew a blade and a shield, her ears flattened back against her head. She stood, taking on a fighting stance and watching Vilkas closely, stepping delicately to the side to circle him. As she moved, Farkas used the opportunity to try and get a better look at the odd mark he had seen, only to notice she now wore much better fitting armour. 

The new armour was strange, like nothing he had seen before. It was a blue tunic with white markings mimicking a blade on the chest, with chainmail peeking out from under the sleeves. Under that was a long sleeve white under shirt. The outfit was completed by white pants and brown boots. Her tail swayed under the hem of the tunic as she moved. 

When she didn't attack, Vilkas rushed forward, using his shield to try and bash the blade from her hand, only to be hit by her shield. He blinked in surprise as a second shield bash caught him, then another, forcing him back. As he stepped back, holding his shield up against the relentless shield bashing, he failed to see her blade swinging up from behind her shield. Using one final bash to knock his shield aside, she cut up his armour, the tip of her sword just missing his face as he fell backwards. 

"Perhaps, that will teach you to never underestimate this one." She said, holding her blade at his neck before sheathing it and holding out her hand. He looked up at her before getting to his feet, dusting himself off. 

"Now that's impressive. You're mightier than you look." He replied as he looked over the Khajiit. "But you're still a whelp to us, new blood. So you do what we tell you. Here's my sword. Go take it up to Eorlund to have it sharpened. And be careful, it's probably worth more than you are." He added as he handed the blade to her. He turned and walked back into the hall, walking past Farkas with a silent glare that warned him not to speak about what had just happened. Farkas seized the moment to go and speak to the new member.

"This one believes she has offended your companion." She murmured as he stepped before her. "Ah, you are the one from the giant battle, yes? Forgive this one for not introducing herself. This one is called Azirina Kharabbi." She introduced herself, bowing her head in greeting to him. 

"I'm Farkas." Farkas responded as he looked her over. "I see you decided to join us. Welcome to the companions." He said, glancing down at the blade in her hands. 

"If this one may, where can she find Eorlund?" She asked, her ears flattening slightly, making her look even more like a kitten to him. He turned to the right and pointed at the Skyforge. 

"You can find Eorlund up there. Hear the hammer?" He asked her, watching her ears turn towards the sound. She nodded happily before heading up the stairs to the Skyforge, leaving Farkas watching her retreating back. 

"Azirina, huh?" He murmured softly. In his mind, he could tell things were going to be different around Jorrvaaskr from now on.


	3. Chapter 3

"You seemed to be getting friendly with the new whelp." Vilkas' voice made Farkas sit up straight in his seat inside the hall. He had headed back inside after watching Azirina head up to the Skyforge. 

"And?" He asked, turning to his twin brother. 

"Ysmir's beard Farkas, don't tell me you're going soft for her." Vilkas sighed as he sat beside him. "She's a Khajiit. They're not exactly welcome everywhere. Besides, she just screams trouble." 

"So you're still mad that she knocked you on your ass earlier?" Farkas asked, silencing Vilkas. 

"That was just a fluke. Besides, she should have been back from Eorlund by now. She probably stole the blade and ran off." Vilkas snapped. Farkas shook his head as the door creaked open. 

"Looks like you were wrong." He countered as Azirina walked back in, a shield in her hands. She looked around before spotting Farkas and smiling, padding over to him. 

"Apologies for interrupting, but Eorlund asked this one to find Aela to return her shield. Do you know where this one can find her?" She asked them both. Vilkas frowned before pointing to the stairs at the other end of the hall. 

"She's probably talking to Skjor in the rest areas." He said. Azirina nodded before heading off in the direction he pointed in. But not before one final smile at Farkas. The sight of which made Farkas' inner beast perk up. 

"You are soft on her." Vilkas noted suddenly. Farkas turned and frowned at his brother. 

"You're just annoyed because you were wrong about her. You judged her too quickly." Farkas countered. He paused, his heightened hearing picking up someone shouting of him. He stood as Vilkas grumbled something under his breath, heading down into the rest area of the hall. He followed the call until he found Aela, Skjor and Azirina standing in one of the rooms.

"Did you call me?" He asked as he stepped into the room. 

"Of course we did, icebrain. Show this new blood where the rest of the whelps sleep." Aela snapped. Farkas' watched as Azirina's ears flicked back to lay flat against her head. 

"Come on, follow me." He said, leading Azirina to the living quarters for the newest companion members. 

"That was rather unpleasant of Aela to insult you like that." He turned as Azirina spoke to him, her voice soft like falling snow. He shrugged nonchalantly. 

"Skjor and Aela like to tease me, but they are good people. They challenge us to be our best." He explained to her.

"If you say so." She replied, folding her hands behind her back as they walked. Silence filled the air between them briefly. But it wasn't an awkward, uncomfortable silence. It was comforting. A nice reprieve from the noise of the rest of the world. 

"It's nice to have a new face around." He said suddenly. "It gets boring here sometimes. I hope we keep you. This can be a rough life." Azirina let out a soft laugh. 

"Khajiit know all about rough lives." She said with a sad smile. He paused, glancing at her before opening the doors to the living quarters. 

"Well, here are the quarters. Just pick a bed and fall in it when you're tired. Tilma will keep the place clean. She always has. Come to me or Aela if you're looking for work. Once you've made a bit of a name for yourself, Skjor and Vilkas might have things for you to do. Good luck. Welcome to the Companions." He explained. 

"Thank you Farkas. This one looks forward to aiding the companions." She smiled as she stepped into the room. She paused briefly, turning to him. "Where can this one find the wash rooms?" She asked him. He pointed to a nearby door, watching her ears and tail twitch as she poked her head into it. 

"Ah, this will work perfectly." She murmured, stepping back from the door. She moved over to a nearby bed, pulling a few items from the pack on her back before placing that in a wardrobe. She gathered up the items before disappearing into the washroom. As she walked by Farkas, he picked up the scent of smoke and fire. But hidden under that was something else. A scent he hadn't noticed before. One he had never picked up before and one he hoped he had imagined. 

Beneath the scent of smoke and flames, there was the smell of rotting meat, agony and terror. The stench made Farkas stare after her. Just who was this Khajiit who had entered their halls?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scent Farkas picked up is actually a nod to the Elder Scrolls Online. If you speak to a certain character, they make reference to the fact someone smells like rotten meat.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The circle discusses their newest member.

"You seem disturbed my friend." Farkas jolted as Kodlak spoke, the Harbinger taking the seat across from him. They were the only two on the back porch, with the others inside the mead hall. Already, the sounds of Njada and Torvar arguing began to drift from behind the wooden doors. 

"What do you think of our new member?" Farkas asked as he heard a chair scrape against the stone floor, followed by more muffled yelling. 

"The Khajiit? She is certainly an interesting character. Although, her way of speech takes some getting used to." Kodlak chuckled as he settled into the seat. "Although, there is something else I cannot quite place about her. Something….unpleasant. Why do you ask?" 

Farkas paused, wondering if he should tell Kodlak about the strange smell he had picked up. Or about the mark. 

"Farkas? May this one speak to you?" He nearly jumped from the chair as Azirina appeared beside him. Even Kodlak seemed stunned by her sudden appearance. 

"Apologies, this one has startled you. Perhaps this one should announce herself more, yes?" She asked as she stepped into the shade of the back porch. It was at that point Farkas noticed she carried her boots in her hand. She glanced down before starting to explain. 

"This one removes her boots to sneak better. When this one moves on her paws alone, less sound is made. Although, this one does not do it as frequently since she injured her feet." She added, Farkas noticing her paws were still bandaged, dark brown patches of blood visible. Maybe that was the source of the stench he had picked up on.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, sitting up straighter to face her as she took the seat opposite, beside Kodlak. 

"This one has heard you may have some work." She said, moving to pull her boots back on. 

"Well, we've got trouble right here in Whiterun hold. Nothing we can't handle." He began, watching her ears perk up. She sat up and looked at him. 

"What kind of trouble should this one expect?" She asked. 

"Rogue wizards. I've never trusted magic types. The college is bad enough. Destroy them." He said firmly, his inner wolf growling until he saw her ears had flattened against her head. 

"You do not trust magic users?" She asked him. 

"Magic doesn't have a place in the companions new blood." Aela suddenly spoke as she stepped outside. "The companions are warriors, not magicians." Farkas was about to agree until he saw Azirina's face. She looked so sad, like she had just witnessed the death of a beloved. It made his gut clench like it had received a blow. He cleared his throat. 

"I suppose restoration magic isn't so bad." He said, watching her ears flick up. Azirina nodded as she stood, her tail flicking as she moved down the steps. 

"This one will take care of it. Where are these magic users based?" She asked him.

"Silent Moons camp. Show them no mercy." He said, nodding to her before watching her leave.

"I take it you have also picked up on her strange scent." Kodlak suddenly asked him. Farkas turned to their leader as the older man leant back in his chair. 

"The smell of smoke and fire isn't as strong as when we first met her." Aela commented. 

"It's the smell that lingers under that I am referring to." Kodlak explained. "For some reason, our new member has the scent of fear, anguish and rotten meat lingering to her." 

"Could the rotten meat smell not be from her injuries?" Farkas asked. 

"No. If that was the case, it would have been far stronger now. More noticeable. But it was still just a faint scent." Kodlak folded his arms as he thought. "Maybe she has had an encounter with a draugr." He said eventually. 

"But draugr don't smell like that. They smell like death." Aela countered. She turned to Farkas. "You've spoken to her the most. Has she said anything that might say why she has that scent?" Farkas paused, wondering if he should mention what he had seen. 

"What is it, Farkas?" Kodlak asked. 

"She has some weird mark, on her left shoulder. It looks like a brand. It's the most foul looking thing I have seen. It even made my beast spirit shy away." He explained, sighing softly. That made them both stare. 

"Even your wolf spirit couldn't stand it?" Kodlak repeated. 

"Is that even possible?" Aela asked. 

"I don't know. Without seeing this mark for myself, I cannot say for certain if it is or not. But if what Farkas says is true, then we have to be wary. If she has ties to something that would make even a werewolf pause, then we may have to prepare ourselves for a fight." He explained as he stood up. 

"Why? What could it be? Werewolves are gifted by Hircine himself. What could scare them more than the Daedric prince they serve?" Aela demanded. 

"I don't know. But we must tread carefully. And do not let Azirina or any of the others know what we have discussed. I will speak to her when she returns." Kodlak said, nodding to them both before returning into the mead hall. As soon as the door shut, Aela rounded on Farkas. 

"Why didn't you mention that mark sooner, icebrain?!" She barked at him. 

"It didn't seem my place to say." He replied. 

"And the strange scent?!" 

"I only noticed that yesterday, when she walked by me to enter the washroom. But, from what I can tell, none of the other new members have picked up on it. It seems like the members of the circle are the only ones who noticed." Farkas explained. 

"Noticed what?" Skjor asked as he stepped out with Vilkas. Farkas went silent but Aela quickly replied. 

"Our newest member, the Khajiit, has the smell of rotten meat, anguish and terror on her. Along with some strange mark." This made Vilkas pause. 

"A mark? Do we know what kind of mark?" He asked, looking at his twin. 

"Icebrain here does. But he won't say what it looked like." Aela growled. Farkas' inner wolf growled back, making him fight the urge to bare his teeth at the red haired archer. 

"I didn't get a good look at it. Besides, it could be something different." He countered. "Kodlak wants to speak to her when she gets back. I say we wait to see what he says." 

"And what if whatever she has ties to attacks before Kodlak can speak to her?" Aela countered. 

"We don't even know what it is. It could be nothing." Farkas argued, getting to his feet. 

"Farkas is right. Until we know exactly what it is, we cannot jump to any conclusions." Vilkas began, stepping between the two of them. "So, let the old man speak with the cat. Then, we can decide what to do." The tension that filled the air was thick as Farkas and Aela glared at each other. 

"Fine. But if she is a threat, I won't hesitate to fill her with arrows." Aela threatened before walking back into the mead hall with Skjor. Vilkas turned to Farkas. 

"What?" Farkas asked.

"Aela is right. If the cat is a threat to us, she will need to be removed. Ultimately, you may have a choice to make." He said before heading back inside, leaving Farkas with his thoughts. If it did come to that, could he do it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have read the other work about Azirina, or know of her outside of AO3 then you already know who the mark belongs to. If this is the case, please don't post spoilers. Let's leave it a surprise for those who haven't found out yet.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out about the scent of Azirina and her mark.

Azirina had returned the following day, grumbling under her breath as she walked into the mead hall. She was covered in blood, drops of it forming a trail that tailed her. He couldn't be sure of exactly what she was saying. Something about Mammoths and giants. She paused as she spotted him, waving at him. 

"Farkas, this one has completed the task you gave to her." She smiled, looking up at him. He nodded in response, fighting the urge to tell her everything that had happened the night before. 

"So I heard. Well done. Kodlak wants to talk to you, by the way." He explained, watching her freeze. Even her tail stopped moving as her eyes fixed on him. 

"Did he say why he wished to speak to this one?" She asked softly. He considered telling her before he noticed Vilkas watching them. 

"No. He didn't. But he will be in his room. Come on. I'll take you to him." He sighed, turning and leading her to the old man. 

Kodlak had been writing in a journal when they entered. He looked up, placing the book to one side as he gestured to Azirina. 

"Please take a seat. Would you close the doors Farkas?" He asked. Azirina moved past him, her tail brushing against his leg as he went to leave. "Actually, I would like you to stay for this discussion Farkas." Farkas froze, fingers brushing against the door handles before he nodded silently. He shut the door, turning to see Azirina staring at the seat. Kodlak chuckled. 

"You needn't worry about getting blood everywhere. Tilma will clean it." He assured her. Azirina looked at the Harbinger before taking the seat opposite him. 

"If you do not mind, there is a specific reason you asked for this one, yes?" Azirina asked, looking at Kodlak. He nodded. 

"It has come to the attention of the circle that there is something unusual about you." Kodlak began. "And, please forgive my bluntness, but it is with regards to your scent." Her brow furrowed as she looked at him. "Azirina, why does the faint smell of rotten meat, fear and anguish cling to you?" Kodlak asked. 

Farkas didn't know alot about Khajiit body language. But watching Azirina had given him some basic ideas. Like how her ears would flatten when something angered or upset her. Or how they stood straight when she was surprised. Which was what they did at that exact moment. She shifted within the seat, looking down at her lap.

"This one is surprised you have been able to pick it up. Usually, Nords cannot detect it." She began with a sigh. "It is because of a ceremony this one was a part of when she was still young. Her tribe was taken from her and the ceremony was not completed. But, if it had been, this one would have been offered to a Daedric Prince." She explained.

"Which prince?" Kodlak asked her softly. Azirina looked straight at the old Nord before replying. 

"Molag Bal." The room went deathly silent, as though all the air had been taken from them. Azirina looked at them sadly as she waited for their response. But they were too stunned. 

"Why him?" Kodlak eventually managed to speak, his face still showing shock. 

"This one does not know." She replied with a shrug of her shoulders, blood droplets flicking to the floor. "But….this one did not escape unscathed." She added softly. 

"You mean he…." Kodlak began. 

"Oh no. Not that. This one is thankful he did not live up to that title." She said. She stood, tugging at the hem of the blue tunic she wore. "No. The ceremony left this one with a mark, his mark, upon her shoulder." She explained. She pulled the tunic off, giving Farkas a glimpse of the dark grey fur that covered her body. She slipped part of the chainmail undershirt back to reveal the mark he had seen when they first met. 

It was just as horrific as when he had first witnessed it. It was burned into her flesh, the fur around it refusing to grow back. He could see the horns curving around the Daedric face, fangs appearing in either side of the long, pointed tongue. The burned flesh stood out, scarred worse than any injury he had seen. She sighed as she covered it back up. 

"This one understands if you would like her to leave." She said softly, her ears flat against her head. 

"No!" Farkas insisted, making them both look at him. "I mean, you still have to do your trial." He added, trying to cover for his sudden outburst. He turned to Kodlak. "Surely she would have been pulled into Oblivion before now if this ceremony was successful. So, what's the harm in letting her stay? She has been helpful in completing the jobs the others won't do." Kodlak folded his arms, thinking it over before turning to Azirina. 

"I find myself agreeing with Farkas. If this ceremony you were a part of had been successful, you would not be here. Therefore, you are welcome to remain as a member of the companions. I suggest you should go and bathe before anything else though." He said with a soft smile. Azirina nodded, hopping to her feet. 

"Thank you for giving this one a chance, Kodlak. This one will do all she can to uphold the honour of the companions." She replied before heading out of the room with Farkas. 

"Why are you covered in blood?" Farkas asked, the sense of relief that she was staying filling him with joy. 

"The magic users you sent this one to deal with caused it. A group of Mammoths were passing when one threw a fireball at this one. It hit the mammoth, which in turn angered the giant that was travelling with them. Most of the blood is from when the giant crushed them." She explained. 

"Most of the blood? You didn't take on a giant by yourself did you?" He asked. She smiled mischievously at him. 

"That is a story for another time." She replied as they stopped outside the washroom. She glanced at it before turning back to him. "Thank you for sticking up for this one." She said softly, looking at him. 

"No problem. You're my shield-sister. We stand up for one another." He said, feeling heat threaten to flood his cheeks as she looked at him. He went to turn only to pause as she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. He held his breath, waiting to see what she would do before his arms wrapped around her, holding her close as they stood for a few moments. This felt right to him, more than right. 

Slowly, she pulled away, smiling shyly before disappearing into the washroom. Farkas felt himself smiling as he turned and headed back into the mead hall. He sat beside Vilkas, still grinning when Vignar's voice caught his attention. 

"Ysmir's beard boy! What happened to you?!" Farkas looked down to see the perfect outline of Azirina's body in blood on his armour. Everyone turned to face him, waiting for his response. 

"Uh…." 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azirina has a run in with some other new members before she and Farkas set out together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, first of all, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all you marvellous readers. I am sorry this has taken a while but I haven't had much chance to write. But I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Azirina sighed as she sat down at the table, pulling a sweet roll onto her plate. A bag full of sabre cat pelts sat on the floor beside her as she began to eat, only to pause as the chairs on either side of her were pulled out. Farkas looked up as he saw Ria, Njada and Torvar sit around her.

"You may know about this Khajiit." Njada began.

"This one is called Azirina." Azirina interjected, taking a sip from her tankard.

"Whatever. Listen, I had a coin purse in the drawers in the sleeping quarters. And it's gone. You wouldn't know anything about it would you?" She asked. 

"And, why would you think this one would know anything about that?" Azirina asked, turning her head to look at Njada. 

"Well, we never had a problem with theft before you got here." Ria said. 

"And Khajiit are known as thieves and drug dealers." Torvar added. "I mean, everyone knows they're not allowed into cities because all they do is steal." Farkas looked up to see Azirina's ears flatten, her grip on the handle of the tankard going tight. 

"So, this can go one of two ways. You return the money you stole, with interest, and we forget all about this." Njada began. "Or, things turn ugly."

"This one did not take your coin purse. Although, considering the company you keep, perhaps you should consider other alternatives." Azirina said. 

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Njada asked. Azirina said nothing, merely looking at Torvar, who immediately went defensive. 

"Listen here cat!" He yelled, shoving his chair back and grabbing the front of her armour. Farkas stood up, only for Skjor to walk in. 

"That's enough!" He barked. "You three, get outside and clean the training yard. I need to speak to the new whelp." Torvar let go of Azirina's tunic, heading out with Ria whilst Njada pointed at her. 

"This isn't over, cat." She threatened before heading out. Azirina turned to Skjor. 

"This one did not steal anything." She insisted.

"I know. They have tried something like this in the past. But that isn't why I want to speak to you. Your time has come, it seems." He said. 

"What do you mean?" Azirina asked. Farkas listened intently as Skjor explained. 

"Last week a scholar came to us. He said he knew where we could find another fragment of Wuuthrad. He seemed a fool to me, but if he's right, the honor of the Companions demands that we seek it out." He began. "This is a simple errand, but the time is right for it to be your Trial. Carry yourself with honor, and you'll become a true Companion." Even from his spot in the corner of the room, Farkas heard the soft gasp that came from Azirina. Her eyes widened as she looked at Skjor.

"This one would be honoured to retrieve it." She replied eagerly. Oddly, it got a slight chuckle from Skjor. 

"There is a fine line between respect and boot-licking, new blood. But I like your spirit, and you have completed a good number of jobs with honour for us. We've decided this will be your trial. Do well, and you'll be counted among the Companions. Farkas will be your Shield-Sibling on this venture, whelp. He'll answer any questions you have. Try not to disappoint. Or to get him killed." Skjor explained before walking off, leaving Azirina by herself.

"I hope you've readied yourself." Farkas said as he walked up to Azirina. She turned, her head tilted to one side as she looked at him. "So, this is your trial. I will watch you to make sure that you are honourable. If you are honourable and strong, then I can call you sister." He explained. Azirina nodded in response. "Come on then, let's head to Dustman's Cairn." He said, pulling out a map and placing it on the table. 

Azirina looked over it with him, tracing a path with her finger. She frowned slightly. 

"Even on horseback, we would not make it there until tomorrow. We would need to camp." She said, her eyes flicking over the map. He turned his head to look at her as she reviewed their route. In the light of the hall, the multitude of earrings in her ears glinted like stars in the night. Being so close, he spotted scar tissue between the earrings. He frowned, his inner wolf growling at the thought of someone harming her. 

"So long as you are ok with it, I don't mind." He said softly. She paused, turning her head to look at him. A soft smile sat on her face, her ears flicking back at it. She stood up straight, stretching her spine and tail before picking up the bag of pelts.

"Just let this one give these pelts to Tilma. She said she wanted to make some new covers for the beds." She explained, disappearing into the living quarters. She soon returned, the pack gone as she tucked something into the pouch at her hip. 

"Do you have some camping gear?" He asked her, surprised at her nod. 

"This one travelled with the caravans. All Khajiit who walk Skyrim have some form of camping gear." She explained. "Have you some camping gear? The tent this one owns is big enough for two." 

"I have a bed roll. And if you are ok with sharing a tent, I am happy to." He added, feeling heat run up to his cheeks at the thought of sleeping so close to her. She smiled back at him, some faint colour visible under her dark fur.

"This one supposes we should head out, yes? Cover as much ground as possible, yes?" She asked him. He nodded, leading her out of the door and through the streets. People walked by, most nodding in greeting to the two of them. As they stepped into the market, Azirina turned her head as Carlotta called on her. 

Unfortunately, the action meant she failed to see Nazeem walking towards her. The two collided, Azirina stumbling back and falling to the floor. Farkas moved to her side, offering his hand to her. 

"Thank you Farkas." She said as he helped her up. She frowned as she saw Nazeem patting his pockets down. 

"Why they let you into the market I will never know." He said. "Couldn't get those thieving paws of yours into my pockets this time thief. Next time you try, I'll have the guards arrest you." He said, barging past her and nearly knocking her over again. Farkas moved to storm after him, fist clenched and ready to knock some sense into the fool when he felt her hand on his arm. 

"He is not worth it, Farkas. This one is used to such empty threats. And the guards know this one will not break the law." She explained as she turned and walked over to Carlotta.

"I really can't thank you enough for getting Mikael to back off. If you're heading out, might I suggest some fresh fruit or a freshly baked loaf?" She said, indicating to her wares. 

"Thank you, but this one believes we have enough to get through our journey. When we return though, this one will try some of your wares." Azirina replied, smiling at Carlotta. Farkas felt himself smiling as he looked at her. Even after being accused by that whelp Nazeem, she kept smiling. 

The two of them carried on, nodding to the guards as they left the city and began to follow the map to Dustman's Cairn. Aside from the occasional bird or deer, the road was relatively quiet. Until Azirina paused, her ears flicking back and forth. 

"What is it?" Farkas asked, stopping beside her as she looked to the right. He listened with her intently, hearing the birds calling their midday song from the trees. And beyond that, an ominous, heavy foot fall. The two of them watched as two mammoths moved from beyond the tree line and across their path. He stood at her side as the two gigantic beasts meandered past, glancing at them briefly. He sighed, turning to say they should take another path when he paused. 

Her eyes were wide with awe as the beasts moved by. Her pupils appeared to take up her entire eye, her ears upright as she watched them walk by. The giant with them paused as it followed the mammoths. He took her arm, pulling her back a few steps to show they meant no harm. It brandished its club at them before heading on after its mammoths. 

Aside from that, the journey was relatively uneventful. Day slipped into dusk as they selected a small forest area to camp in. He began to set up a fire whilst Azirina set up the tent. Aside from the occasional hiss, she seemed fine working by herself.

"So, what brought you to Skyrim?" Farkas asked as he began to cook some of the meat they had brought with them. 

"This one came on a boat." She replied as she came and sat beside him, looking at the fire. He turned to catch the mischievous glint in her eyes as she smiled at him. 

"Ok, I walked into that one." He countered, smiling as she laughed.

"You certainly did. If you are asking why this one came to Skyrim, it is simple. When the ceremony failed, this one ran across Elsweyr until I reached a harbour. Seeing no other options, this one stowed away on a boat. The boat was actually the one my tribe traded with before its destruction. When they found this one, they took care of me. They trained me to help on the ship, to fight and to survive." She explained, taking a bite of the meat he had been cooking. "What about you?" 

"When Vilkas and I were younger, we were captured by necromancers. Our father, Jergen, rescued us from that circle and brought us back to Jorrvaskr and raised us there. Even Vignar can't remember any companions younger than us." He laughed.

"What happened to Jergen?" Azirina asked. 

"He went to go fight in the great war and never came back." He replied, watching as her ears went back. "But it is fine, the companions are my family. And, if this trial goes well, that will include you." He added, watching her smile. 

"This one cannot think of anything better." She replied before looking skyward at the Moons. "We should get some rest, yes? We still have some distance to cover before we get to Dustman's Cairn." She said, standing and stretching. As she stepped inside, he stamped out the fire. He turned and followed her, pausing as he saw her sitting in an oversized tunic. She glanced at him before turning her back, allowing him to remove his armour. He stripped his armour off, sitting down on the bed roll. She turned towards him, her ears flicking back and forth constantly. 

"This one hopes this is ok." She said, gesturing to how close the bed rolls were together. Her pupils were narrow, fixed on him as she spoke. He looked down, realising that, thanks to the small confines of her tent, they would basically be next to each other. 

"It's fine." He said slowly, watching her relax. He sat on his bed roll, pulling the furs over his frame. She slowly slipped into her own bed roll, turning to face him. 

"May the moons grace you with pleasant dreams." She said softly. "As my mama always used to say." She added. He nodded slowly in response. A restful sleep would be impossible, thanks to the ever restless wolf spirit. But, any rest would be a change. 

"Sleep well sister." He replied, watching her smile before she rolled over again. He sighed, looking up at the roof of the tent. He silently began to count the hours before his beast blood let him get some rest for the trial ahead.


	7. Dustman's Cairn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azirina and Farkas make their way into Dustman's Cairn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is split into two parts. After alot of debate and some discussion with a few of my friends, I went with splitting it. Purely because it will allow a more organic progression of the relationship.

The sounds of birdsong is what made Farkas stir. He slowly opened his eyes, surprised at how fitful a sleep he had managed. It was then he felt it. The warmth at his chest. He glanced down and froze. At some point during the night, Azirina had moved and tucked herself up in his arms. He stared as he saw how perfectly she fit his embrace, curled up against his chest. 

Her hands occasionally curled and uncurled. Her ears were upright, her tail swaying and curling around him. Her nose twitched as she dreamed, looking so peaceful. It was then that he realised why he had slept so peacefully for once. His wolf spirit felt calm with her in his embrace.

She yawned, making him look down as she began to awaken. Icy blue eyes blinked sleepily, slowly fixing on his face. She froze as she realised where she was, looking up at him. Her pupils dilated as her ears flicked before she scrambled to move away. 

"This one is so sorry!" She cried as she scrambled to the other side of the tent. He sat up slowly, trying to stop the colour rising up his cheeks. Even in the dim light of the tent, he could see colour under her fur. 

"There's no need to apologise. It gets cold out here in the wild." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. His inner wolf growled at how she had run from him. He opened his mouth to say he hadn't minded when he finally got a good look at her. The oversized tunic she wore had slipped from her shoulders, hanging from her frame. It looked like a dress, clinging to some parts of her body as she sat opposite him. His eyes followed how it hung from her frame, particularly at her chest and hips. His inner wolf perked up, immediately growing interested at the sight. He fought the spirit down as he cleared his throat. She glanced down before pulling the tunic up, colour flushing under her fur. 

"We should get moving." He said as he looked away from her. 

"Yes, we should." She agreed. She turned her back, giving him some privacy to dress before he left the tent to let her do the same. As he waited, he looked at their map, checking the path. He turned as he heard the tent flap move to reveal Azirina, now fully dressed. He helped her take down the tent, packing up the last few supplies before showing her the map. 

"If we hurry, we should get there before midday." He explained to her, watching her ears flick. She nodded and the two began the remainder of their journey. As the sun climbed to its peak in the sky, the two walked the path to Dustman's Cairn.

With an echoing creak that howled through the air, the ancient iron door opened, the smell of freshly dug dirt hitting him hard. They moved slowly, the bodies of two draugr splayed upon the ground. Azirina crouched beside one, looking it over, he examined the other before turning to her. 

"Looks like someone's been digging here. And recently. Tread lightly." He warned as he walked over to her. She didn't respond, standing upright as her ears twitched. They turned forwards, fixed on something ahead of her. He moved to stand beside her, listening with her. In the corridors ahead, the sound of skeletal footsteps echoed off the stones. A clear sign that the dead walked these halls. As they moved, he glanced at the burial stones surrounding them. He would be ok if one fell. But if one fell on her. He cleared his throat to get her attention, nodding to one of them.

"Be careful around the burial stones. I don't want to haul you back to Jorrvaaskr on my back." He warned her. She nodded, walking forward slowly. She peeked around a corner, pulling a bow from her back and notching an arrow. She crouched down, her breathing slow and steady whilst her ears moved to the direction of the noise. He stood behind her, drawing his blade and gripping it tight as a draugr walked around the corner. 

Its skin was a dull grey in colour, stretched taut over its bones and eyes glowing in the darkened halls. It growled as it turned, holding a blade in its skeletal hands. It moved towards them, only to be struck in the eye with an arrow, the glow dying as it was killed. She moved to stand, only to pause, glancing as he pulled her back. A second draugr came running to its fallen comrade, the living dead turning as he swung his blade, removing its head. 

"This one hates draugr." Azirina murmured as she sheathed her bow. She pulled out her sword and shield, her ears moving in all directions to check for anything else. She turned to their left as a third draugr walked into view. It had their back to them, growling as it turned towards them. A second was all it took before it staggered forward, an ancient battle axe in hand. It swung the weapon at Azirina, clanging off her shield. She bashed at the draugr, forcing it back from her as Farkas ran forward, bringing his blade into its abdomen. 

"Damn draugr." He murmured as it collapsed at his feet. He sheathed his blade and moved into an open chamber, looking around. Azirina followed, pausing as she spotted an arcane enchanter. He watched as she headed over to it, looking over it before she turned back to him.

"This one has an interest in enchantment on weapons." She explained, heading down a set of rotten, wooden stairs. A gate blocked their way forward, leaving them trapped and exposed to more draugr. He sighed, turning and heading over to a pair of stone chairs he had seen. He heard Azirina move off to his left, disappearing off to look at something when the clang of metal made him jolt. He spun to see the gate blocking their way was open, but now Azirina was trapped in a small room. She struggled to get the lever to move as he approached her. Her ears were flat, clearly she was embarrassed about the whole situation. It was rather cute.

"Now look what you've gotten yourself into." He chuckled as she looked at him through the gate. "No worries. Just sit tight and I will find the release." He told her, watching her smile shyly, until her pupils narrowed. 

"Farkas, look out." She cried, pulling out her bow as he heard footsteps. He spun, drawing his blade as he was surrounded. He could smell the silver of their weapons. Of course this had to be a silver hand trap. His inner wolf growled, wanting to break free. He hadn't been paying attention and now he was surrounded. But what annoyed him more was the fact Azirina was at risk. That angered his wolf spirit even more as he backed towards the gate that separated them. 

"Killing you will make an excellent story." One of the silver hand members sneered at him. 

"None of you will be alive to tell it." He countered. He had no choice. He couldn't protect Azirina without transforming. So, he let his beast side run wild. 

The transformation hurt, it always did. He heard the clatter of his armour falling to the ground as his body enlarged and changed with the tearing of muscles and bone. With a bestial roar, he fought, biting and tearing through the silver hand. They swung their blades at him, but nothing mattered more than protecting her. Until he picked up on the stench. The smell of fear rolling in waves from behind him. As the last member fell, gurgling blood from the ragged remnants of their throat, he looked back and froze. 

Azirina was crouched in the back corner, her bow raised and aiming in his direction. Her tail was tucked between her legs, her eyes wide and ears flat. Though he couldn't see all of her fur, the parts he could see were upright, her back arched slightly. She looked terrified of him. He whined slightly, gathering up his armour and pack before running through the gate the silver hand had come through. As he transformed back, he couldn't get the image of how terrified she looked out of his mind. He got dressed again before pulling the lever to release the gate she was trapped behind, bracing himself for how she would react. He headed back into the room to see her watching him from the entrance to the small room she had been trapped in. 

"I hope I didn't scare you." He said softly as he stepped closer. She didn't respond, looking down at the bodies before looking at him. He watched her eyes flick over him, opening his mouth to speak when she suddenly moved. She ran forward, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him. He froze, feeling her body tremble against his. 

"This one was scared." She admitted. "But not of you. This one was scared because she could do nothing." She explained, pulling back to look at him. He looked at her in surprise. She looked back at him, silence filling the air between them before she blushed and stepped back. His inner wolf was doing flips. She wasn't scared of him?

"You're not scared?" He repeated to her. She shook her head, her earrings clinking together as her head moved. 

"This one was nearly married to a Daedric prince. There is not a lot that can scare this one." She replied with a soft smile. She rubbed the back of her head as she looked at him. "But….the thought of losing you does scare me. Yet, and forgive this one if she is forward, but what was that?" She asked him.

"It's a blessing given to some of us. We can become like wild beasts. Fearsome." He explained. She frowned, her head tilted as she watched him. 

"Are you going to make this one a werewolf?" She asked him suddenly. 

"Oh, no. Only the circle has the beast blood. Prove your honour to be a companion. "Eyes on the prey, not the horizon."" He explained before looking at the path ahead. "We should keep moving. Still the draugr to worry about." He added to her. She nodded before nudging one of the bodies with her foot. 

"And this one imagines there are more of these people here." She said as she sheathed her bow. She pulled her blade and shield out, bracing herself for a battle. She looked at him with a smile on her face as he smiled back, pulling his blade from its sheath. 

"Well, let's go show them what the companions can do." 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The remainder of Dustman's Cairn everyone. And the reveal of another secret of Azirina's.

As they stepped further into the Cairn, he could smell the silver hand patrolling the halls. They were clearly outnumbered. But with her beside him, he felt like he could take on a dragon. They inched forward, leaning around the corner to see two members of the silver hand standing on a staircase. She took aim, taking a deep breath in before unleashing the arrow. The enemy turned at the wrong moment, shrieking as the arrow buried itself in their eye. 

Their companion spun around as the body of their fallen comrade fell to the ground, taking aim with their own bow. An arrow flew by her ear as he yanked her back, a hissed curse coming from her. She took aim again before unleashing a second arrow, catching their assailant in the arm. Using this to their advantage, Farkas charged forward, bringing his blade into the silver hand's gut. They let out a gurgling gasp, blood spilling from their lips as the blade wedged itself deep into their stomach. 

"Damnit." Farkas snarled as he tried to pull the blade out. The body flopped like a dying fish whilst he struggled to remove the blade, with it having wedged itself in the dead man's spine. He heaved, his muscles straining as the bones creaked but it didn't budge. Azirina glanced at the corridor ahead before moving over to him, sheathing her bow. She grabbed the hilt of his blade, hands wrapping around his as she pulled with him. But the blade would not move.

"Come on." He growled, frustration building as the blade sat stubbornly in the corpse. Azirina paused before moving and pressing her hands against the torso of the corpse. Without exchanging a single word, he knew what to do. Again, his muscles strained against his armour as he pulled, watching her push with all her might. Slowly, the body released the blade, a sickening wet sound filling the air as he pulled. With one final push, the blade sprang free, causing him to over balance and stumble back. Azirina reached out, grabbing at his hand, only to be pulled down with him. 

A loud, metallic clatter filled the silent air as they hit the stone floor. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around her and pulled her atop his chest, protecting her from the brunt of the fall. The echo of the fall rang off the walls, fading into the depths of the Cairn as they lay there briefly. When nothing seemed to stir, he looked to see her startled face mere inches from his. Such a close proximity allowed him to see the black stripes nestled amongst her grey fur, and how her eyes seemed to glow like fire in the dim light. She looked at him, her pupils large as they fixed on him and her ears flat, before she flushed and got to her feet. She cleared her throat as she stood upright. 

"We….uh….we should continue, yes?" She asked as he got to his feet. Her blush was clear, even in the dim light of the Cairn.

"Yeah. We should." He murmured, picking up his sword. She turned and began to walk ahead, her ears twitching as she led him through the Cairn. Aside from a few draugr and that handful of silver hand members, which were easily dispatched between the two of them, the halls were silent. 

Upon reaching the crypt, the smell of ancient death flooded his nostrils. He tried not to gag as the smell of rot consumed the air. Beside him, Azirina wafted her hand in front of her nose, retching slightly. 

"We should hurry before this one vomits." She murmured, heading into the room. Burial caskets lined the walls, making the echoes of their footsteps seem even louder. Towards the back of the room was a large altar, the piece of Wuuthrad sitting, clear for the taking. But as he turned to her, he noticed she looked beyond that. 

"Azirina?" He asked briefly. She ignored him, her attention fixed on something behind the altar. He looked to see an ancient wall looming over them, words in a language he had never seen carved into the stone. Energy pulsed like a heartbeat as one of the words began to glow. In his peripheral vision, he saw Azirina step forward, seemingly in a trance as she approached the wall. Light swirled around her, making the dust of the ancient room rise up into the air. Whispering filled his ears as she stood in front of the wall, her eyes glowing like the light that surrounded her, feeding into her body as the whispering grew louder. A pulse of energy erupted from her as the light faded, pushing him back briefly. As the air settled, she turned to face him, rubbing the back of her neck. 

"What was that?" He asked, unable to keep the surprise from his voice. Azirina sighed as she approached the altar where the piece of Wuuthrad lay.

"Well, you see…." She began, reaching and grabbing the piece of the ancient blade. However, she never got to finish her sentence. The room rumbled ominously, the crypts bursting open as the dead emerged from within them. Farkas drew his sword whilst Azirina drew her sword and shield. With a growl, the dead converged on them, the sounds of numerous skeletal feet clattering across the stone floor as they surged towards them like a tidal wave. Farkas grunted as a scourge swung its blade at him, growling and snarling. 

He glanced to the side as he saw three draugr converge on Azirina, striking on her shield relentlessly. They were forced back, tripping over the stairs up to the altar. He growled as the scourge stepped back, using frost magic to drain his stamina whilst three more charged at him. The blows were unending, he couldn't swing the blade without opening himself to an attack. The constant blows forced him to his knees, when he heard one of the dead fall to the ground. Azirina had managed to slay one of the draugr but two more had taken its place, their blades smashing into her shield. He couldn't help her, there was every chance they would die here. And he could do nothing. He couldn't save her. He couldn't stop them. They were going to become part of the dead wandering these halls. And it was his fault. 

" _FUS RO DAH!_ " The room trembled as the shout echoed through the halls. He looked in shock as the draugr that surrounded them were blown back, three of them disintegrating as they were torn apart by the voice. He sat up to see Azirina standing in front of him, panting heavily and rubbing her throat briefly. The scourge had survived, but was missing an arm, along with two more draugr. 

" _YOL!_ " She shouted again, her voice slightly hoarse as fire shot from her mouth. This took out the remaining two draugr whilst weakening the scourge. It dropped to its knees, letting Azirina charge forward. With a yell, she swung her sword, decapitating the draugr scourge and kicking the head away. 

"This one hates draugr!" She snapped, her voice hoarse and weak. He stared at her as she rubbed her throat and coughed a few times. 

"What was that?" He asked her, his face one of complete shock. "You killed them with your voice. How?" Azirina walked over to him, holding her hand out to help him to his feet. 

"You see, there is something this one has not yet mentioned. You are aware of the rumours that the Dragonborn has returned, yes?" She asked, watching as he nodded. "Well, you are looking at her. This one is the Dragonborn. What you just witnessed was this one using a dragon shout. However, this one must be cautious. Overuse of the voice can damage my throat." She explained, still sounding slightly hoarse. He stared at her in surprise for a few moments.

"You're the Dragonborn?" He repeated, watching as she nodded, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "Well, aren't you just full of surprises?" He asked her, making her laugh softly. He sheathed his blade, walking back to the door they had entered through, only to find it locked. 

"There must be another exit." Azirina commented, moving around the room. Her ears flicked back and forth as she walked up the steps by the altar, where she paused by a crypt. He came to stand beside her, pausing as a wisp of a breeze teased his sense of smell. The two of them faced the crypt, Azirina slowly pushing on the stone cover. It fell to the side with a thud, revealing a passageway. She smiled at him before heading through, her tail brushing against him as he followed her out. 

The passageway led to a stone wall, which slid away after he pulled on a nearby chain, with Azirina refusing to do so.

"The last time this one touched a lever, this one was locked in a cage. You should pull it, yes?" She had asked, making him chuckle. They stepped out into the entrance to the Cairn, the two draugr still on the ground, before heading out of the old tomb. 

"Well, that was certainly eventful." She commented as they set off back to Whiterun, the sun only just starting to rise into the sky.

"Hmm. You did an excellent job though. I will be sure to tell Skjor everything when we get back." He began. 

"It could wait until after this one has had a chance to bathe, yes?" She asked suddenly, making him look at her. "This one knows she normally has the lingering scent of death on her, but now, both of us smell like rotten meat. No offense." She said. He laughed softly in response. 

"None taken. I will speak to him after we have both had the chance to clean up." He explained, watching her smile happily. She tapped her pack, listening to the piece of Wuuthrad settle in place before heading down the road with him, back to Whiterun and the companions. 


End file.
